The World Teacher of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness

The World Teacher of Krsna Consciousness
kali-kalera dharma-krsna-nama-sahkirtana
krsna-sakti vina nahe tara pravartana
Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya 7.11-12)
His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
FULFILLING THE ORDERS of his own spiritual master and of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is enlightening the world in the science of bhagavata-dharma-unalloyed devotional service to Lord Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Thousands of years ago, Lord Sri Krsna descended in Bharata-varsa-India to impart the essence of Vedic knowledge: that the highest duty of every living being is to abandon all other engagements and surrender unto Him. Later, nearly five hundred years ago, Krsna appeared in India again, as Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, to demonstrate, by His own example, how to surrender to Krsna and how to love Krsna. This mission of Lord Caitanya's was firmyl established-on an unshakable foundation of Vedic evidence-by Srila Rūpa Gosvami Prabhupada. Within recent history, this mission was preserved and enriched by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Mahraja Prabhupada. Now, by the infallible desire of Lord Krsna and His representative acaryas in the disciplic succession, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, has carried this eternal mission beyond the borders of India and is establishing it around the world.
Those who have lost their vision because of the dense darkness of this Age of Kali can receive light from His Divine Grace.
As Acarya, Srila Prabhupada has shown his disciples-and the world-what it is to dedicate oneself fully to preaching the message of Krsna consciousness. Heedless of personal comfort, His Divine Grace endeavors unceasingly to bestow Krsna's mercy upon the fallen souls of this age. In his compassion, he is immersed in the mood of Prahlada Maharaja, who prayed to Lord Nrsimhadeva:
naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaranyas
tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna-cittaḥ
soce tato vimukha-cetasa indriyartha-
maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimūḍhan
(SB 7.9.43)
"O best of the great personalities, I am not at all afraid of material existence, for wherever I stay I am fully absorbed in thoughts of Your glories and activities. My concern is only for the fools and rascals who are making elaborate plans for material happiness and maintaining their families, societies and countries. I am simply concerned with love for them."
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu declared:
prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama
sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama
"IN AS MANY villages and towns as there are on the surface of the world, My name will be known."
To fulfil Lord Caitanya's prediction, Srila Prabhupada has established more than one hundred centers of the sankirtana movement-each with affiliated traveling parties-to spread Krsna's glories throughout the world.
FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS in India, people have celebrated Krsna as the Supreme Godhead, the Lord of the universe. Now, by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada, hundreds and thousands of people celebrate the glories of Lord Jagannatha in cities all over the world. Srila Prabhupada is teaching the whole world how all living beings can live together as one in harmony and joy-by serving the Lord of the universe.
Srila Prabhupada is presenting a cultural movement for the respiritualization of all human society. Music, dance, theatre, cinema-all have value when glorifying Krsna only. Presented under Srila Prabhupada's expert transcendental guidance, India's imperishable heritage of genuine spiritual culture is being appreciated throughout the world, not just as exotic entertainment but as a profoundly meaningful way to understand and approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In a few months, Bombay will witness the opening of ISKCON's Center for Vedic Knowledge and Culture, which will include a Vedic temple, a 450-seat theatre, a recording studio, a library, a prasadam restaurant, dioramas, and a comfortable 8-story International Guest House. This will be yet another of Srila Prabhupada's great contributions to the cultural life of India, and of the world.
IN INDIA, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura staged transcendental theistic exhibitions, using dioramas to illustrate the ideas and events recorded in the Vedic literature. Following in the footsteps of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has commissioned his disciples to stage similar presentations in the West. Srila Prahupada's First American Theistic Exhibition (F.A.T.E) uses not only traditional figures formed of straw and clay, but also sophisticated computer-controlled audiovisual effects.
TO DEMONSTRATE he practical value of "simple living and high thinking," Srila Prabhupada has established twelve Krsna conscious farm communities in North America, South America, Europe, Australia and India. By protecting cows, growing crops and, in all activities, worshiping Krsna, Srila Prabhupada's disciples in these communities are illustrating the simple Vedic way to solve all economic problems and ultimately return home, back to Godhead, thus attaining the perfection of human life.
kaumara acaret prajno
dharman bhagavatan iha
durlabham manusam janma
tad apy adhruvam arthadam
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.1)
RECOGNIZING that nowhere in the world are there schools where children may be trained in the high Vedic standards of purity, sense control, and Krsna consciousness, Srila Prabhupada has reintroduced the old Vedic system of education-the Gurukula system-by which children are not only materially educated but also spiritually trained so that they may attain the highest perfection of life. Aside from small ISKCON Gurukula schools throughout the world, Srila Prabhupada has now established the large, fully equipped Bhaktivedanta Gurukula in the holy city of Vrindavana for the children of ISKCON devotees and life members.
SRĪLA PRABHUPADA is presenting the message of Krsna consciousness so convincingly and scientifically that even scientists have stepped forward to becomes his disciples. Some of these scientists have formed the Bhaktivedanta Institute, an educational society of Ph.D.'s dedicated to presenting the Vedic scientific understanding to the general scientific community through disciplines such as physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics. Speakers from the Institute travel widely, and this fall the Institute is sponsoring in Vrindavana a scientific convention on the subject "Life Comes from Life." Among the scientific monographs published by the Institute is Demonstration by Information Theory that Life Cannot Arise from Matter by Sadapūta dasa Adhikari (Richard Thompson, Ph.D.), one of Srila Prabhupada's disciples.
Athato Brahma Jignasa
BHAKTIVEDANTA INSTITUTE
HIS DIVINE GRACE Srila Prabhupada has established one hundred three temples of Lord Sri Krsna in thirty-six countries in North America, South America, Europe, Australia, Africa and Asia.
Each temple holds regularly scheduled worship of the Deity, sponsors kirtan, distrubution of prasada, and classes in Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam for the general public, and provides living facilities for devotees and guests. In short, the temples are like oases in the desert of maya. And, most important, each temple is a preaching centre from which Srila Prabhupada's disciples go out to chant the glories of Krsna and distribute Krsna consciousness literature, following in the footsteps of their spiritual master.
IN EACH of ISKCON's temples, Srila Prabhupada has established the Deity of the Lord, who is duly worshiped according to pancaratriki regulations by initiated brahmanas among Srila Prabhupada's disciples. From 4 A.M. to 10 P.M., Srila Prabhupada's disciples are engaged in rendering different kinds of service to the Deity. Srila Prabhupada has given a summary study of Srila Rūpa Gosvami's Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu entitled The Nectar of Devotion to guide his disciples in the basic principles for worshiping the Deity.
IN ADDITION to etablishing temples in cities throuhgout the world, Srila Prabhupada has also inspired his disciples to travel from city to city, town to town, taking the Deity of the Lord with them, to preach the message of Krsna everywhere.
AMONG SRĪLA PRABHUPADA'S most important contributions are the International Centers he has established in holy cities of India so that visitors from around the world may go there to learn about the spiritual culture of India's Vedic heritage. In Vrindavana, where Lord Sri Krsna performed his youthful pastimes five thousand years ago, His Divine Grace has established the Krsna-Balarama temple and International Guesthouse, already a place of pilgrimage for visitors both from India and from abroad. Recognizing that Srila Prabhupada is making Krsna and Vrindavana known all over the world, the Vrindavana city fathers have renamed the main road entering Vrindavana from Delhi "Bhaktivedanta Swami Marg" in his honor.
In Sridhama Mayapur, the birthplace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the already completed guesthouse, temple and residence buildings mark the initial stages of what is planned to be an entire Krsna conscious city. When completed, "The Vedic Planetarium and Temple of Understanding," in the center of the city, will be the largest temple and cultural center in India.
UNDOUBTEDLY Srila Prabhupada's greatest contribution to the spiritual welfare of humanity are his books-nearly seventy volumes of commentaries upon and translations and summary studies of India's immortal Vedic scriptures. Srila Prabhupada's books have now been translated into twenty-six different languages.
Srila Prabhupada's books are unique because they present the message of the Vedic literature as it is, without personally motivated interpretatons. Thus, for the first time, the true glory of Vedic knowledge and culture is being recognized throughout the world.
More than fifty-five million copies of Srila Prabhupada's books are now in print. The English edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, now in its third printing, has already surpassed two and one-quarter million copies.
More than twenty-five hundred college professors and university and public libraries have placed standing orders for full sets of Srila Prabhupada's books, twelve hundred of these orders from India alone. More than ninety percent of all the college an university libraries in the United States have ordered Srila Prabhupada's books.
The spiritual benefit that accrues to the reader from Srila Prabhupada's books cannot even be estimated. But the appreciation that has poured in form the scholarly world can be at least partially understood from the following sample of reviews.
"Scholarship and religious devotion are joined in this work on the life of Caitanya....The present work is an monumental, seventeen volume translation of and commentary on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta....
While many of the comments are short, some are fairly long (three to seven pages) and could stand alone as essays. The description of the abode of Krsna, Vaikuntha, is a beautifully written essay....The English syle is excellent....The set will be a valuable addition to upper division undergraduate and graduate libraries."
___April 1977 Choice Magazine
(World's Leading Academic Librarians Journal)
"I have now read considerable parts [of Bhagavad-gita As It Is]. As a human being I cannot but applaud the fact that your movement is bringing faith and joy back into the lives of many unhappy young people who have not been able to find those virtues in the religion and culture in which they were raised, and I wish you success in the good work you are doing."
Yours sincerely,
A.L. Basham
Professor and Head of the Department of Asian Civilizations
The Australian National University
"We are well aware of the scholarly reputation of the works on Vedic and Bhaktic literature published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, particularly the translation and commentaries, and feel that they meet, without doubt, the requirements of our Academy library, which have to do, above all, with authenticity. Our students are all deeply involved in comparative philosophical and religious studies, and have need of works which are not only of the highest scholarly standards, but also represent the traditions themselves, rather than only scholarly opinion about traditions. From this point of view, we...find the Bhaktivedanta publications of great value."
Peter Lamborn Wilson, Librarian
Imperial Iranian Academy of Philosophy
"The appearance of an English translaion of Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami's Sri Caitanya-caritamrta by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami is a cause for celebration among both scholars in Indian studies and lay people seeking to enrich their knowledge of Indian spirtuality...it will fill a most serious lacuna in our libraries and in our courses of the religious traditions of India.
"For the first time we possess a readily accessible edition of this great religious classic that will provide opportunity for scholars in Indian literature to compare the original text with a modern English translation and become acquainted with the deeper spiritual meanings of this work through the learned commentary of Sri Bhaktivedanta.
"Anyone who bothers to give a close reading to the commentary will sense that here, as in his other works, Sri Bhaktivedanta has combined a healthy mixture of the fervent devotion and aesthetic sensitivity of a devotee and the intelluctual rigou of a textual scholar. At no point does he allow the intended meaning of the text to be eclipsed by the promotion of a particular doctrinal persuasion.
"This exquisitely wrought volume will be a welcome edition to the library of all persons who are committed to the study of Indian spirituality and religious literature, whether their interests are sparked by the motivations of the scholar, the devotee or the general reader."
Dr. J. Bruce Long
Professor of Asian Studies
Cornell University
"It has been a great pleasure to read over Srimad-Bhagavatam which is very elaborate, very precise, and very succint. Srimad-Bhagavatam by Swami Prabhupada is an excellent presentation to the non-Sanskritic English-knowing population of the entire world. Problems dealing with Sanskritic works are manyfold. First of all, the linguistic peculiarities of Sanskrit make the students feel frustrated. Secondly comes the ethnic or cultural background which is solely responsible for the selection of exact semantic content. Thirdly, the context in which the given sloka is to be comprehended. Swami Prabhupadaji has solved all these problems simultaneously in this treatise by providing the transliteration, the world-translation, the free-translation, and the purport of every stanza. This book is extremely useful for those who are interested in History, Philosophy, Politics, Linuistics, Religion, Sociology, etc. of ancient India. I highly recommend this book for all the public libraries. Also this can be used as an undergraduate text for certain courses on Philosophy and or Religion of India. I wish Swami Prabhupadaji will bring forth treatises like this for the entire Bhagavatam as well as other eminent Sanskrit works. Undoubtedly, this work of Swamiji's is a great contribution to the troubled human society of today's world."
Dr. Sooda L. Bhatt
Assistant Professor
Boston University
Boston, Mass.
"Of all the commentaries on Bhagavad-gita that have appeared until now in the Western countries, this present edition by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is the best. In order to appreciate his success in presenting to the West the authorized edition of Bhagavad-gita it is necessary to understand the significance or importance of Lord Krsna, the original author. In the Vedic literature of India, Visnu is considered to be the Supreme Being by whose power there is order and stability in nature and who is worshipped with a spirit of love and devotion, in other words, bhakti, and it is understood that from time to time He incarnates, either totally or partially, with the aim of helping humanity. Lord Krsna is the original and complete form of Visnu. I am very excited to see this publication in Spanish of Bhagavad-gita As It Is by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada was brought up from his very birth in the strict practice of bhakti-yoga and he descends from a line of gurus which goes back to the original speaking of Bhagavad-gita by Sri Krsna. Here Srila Prabhupada's knowledge of Sanskrit is surprising and without parallel. His penetration into the meaning of the text only corresponds to a fully illuminated or fully realized soul who has in fact understood perfectly the meaning of Bhagavad-gita. I personally intend to use it, this book, in the courses that I direct or teach on the language, culture and philosophy of India or those which I am teaching by invitation of the Mexican Government. This authorized edition of Bhagavad-gita will serve a double purpose in the countries of Spanish language: 1. It will help to stop the terrible cheating of gurus and yogis who are false and unauthorized and 2. it will be an opportunity for the people who speak Spanish to understand the precise meaning or significance of Oriental culture."
Dr. Kailas Vajpeye
Dept. Oriental Studies
University College of Mexico
Mexico City
"A strange feature of the modern world is that in spite of vast advance in science and technology and the establishment of a good number of institutions for human welfare, mankind has not found true peace and happiness. Knowledge of material sciences and arts has increased tremendously in recent times and millions of volumes on each fill the libraries the world over. People and leaders in every country are generally well-versed in these arts and sciences, but despite their efforts human society everywhere continues to be in turmoil and distress.
"The reason is not far to seek. It is that they have not learnt the Science of God, the most fundamental of every other art and science, and cared to apply it to the facts of life. The need of the hour is therefore to do it, if mankind is not only to survive but flower into a glorious existence.
"To teach this Science of God to people everywhere and to aid them in their progress and development towards the real goal of life, Srimad-Bhagavatam is the most eminently fitted. In fact, this great and ancient work of Vyasa will find this need of the modern times, for 'it is a cultural presentation for the re-spiritualization of the entire human society.'
"His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-Acarya of the ISKCON movement has taken upon himself, in addition to his ceaseless travels and other multifarious activities in the service of the Lord, the stupendous task of translating this Sanskrit work into English in about sixty volumes, for the welfare and happiness of mankind, It is really astonishing how he is able to do this single-handed, and when one comes to think of this, apart from his other great literary works, one is tempted to wonder if he is not the same Vyasa Muni reborn today to adapt his own old work into a universal language of this age for the spiritual uplift of the modern man.
"So far, eight volumes of this most beautiful literature on God have been brought out by the ISKCON, and the rest are under preparation. Needless to say that in keeping with the excellence of their other publications, the publishers have seen to it that the printing, get-up and pictures in these volumes are also of the highest quality, as though to serve as an ornament to the divine contents of the books.
"This is a rare opportunity to people and leaders of every country, race and community in the world to know and understand the glorious Science of God and work for its perfection. I would say that this encyclopedia of spiritual knowledge is more important and fundamental than the encyclopedia of any other branch of knowledge and should, therefore, find a rightful place not only in the public and private libraries, big and small, of educational and oter institutions as also of every household, but above all in the hearts and minds of every man and woman."
Sri R. Subrahmanyam, M.A.
Deputy Director (Research)
Lok Sabha Secrtariat (National Parliament)
New Delhi
"It is a great honor for me to have the pleasure of examining the publications of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. I find all of them to be of exceptional value for use in educational institutions and libraries. Particularly the ancient classic Srimad-Bhagavatam I recommend to all students and readers in Indian philosophy and culture. The original text is presented, along with roman transliteration, word-for-word synonyms, accurate translation and extremely lucid commentary and exposition. It is a remarkable work, and definitely a landmark in the matter of elevating humanity toward world unification and divine consciousness.
"The learned author, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, is a world-renowned saint and savant in the field of Vedic philosophy and its practical application in the modern world, where he has opened over a hundred spiritual asramas for the study and cultivation of Vedic knowledge. Factually, he is unequalled in his efforts to establish the Vedic way of life, sanatana-dharma, in all countries of the world.
"Certainly I am most grateful that this message of the Bhagavata is being spread for the benefit of the world by such a qualified personality as Swami Bhaktivedanta."
Dr. Kalia, President
Indian Library Association
"I consider as one of my greatest spiritual thrills that I had through a physical darsana (look) of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada on the 30th of March 1976 for the first time.
"I had the rare privilege to see with my own eyes the very embodiment of Krsna consciousness, the be-all and end-all of all beings.
"Sri Swami Prabhupada has established the International Society for Krsna Consciousness, which is spread in the 108 cities around the world. All the members of ISKCON are pure brahmanas and Vaisnavas, initiated in the most austere sadhana recommended by the greatest Gosvamis of Vrndavana, Sri Rūpa Gosvami, the author of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu and Sri Sanatana Gosvami, the author of Hari-bhakti-vilasa and many other works.
"I had earlier known Srila Prabhupada through his enormous works on krsna-bhakti, the nucleus of all Indian Vedic spiritual literature. To name a few of them, the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, The Nectar of Devotion, Krsna (3 vols.), Teachings of Lord Caitanya, the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta and the commentary on Sri Īsopanisad will suffice.
"It is noteworthy to mention that the Īsopanisad Bhasya is the greatest contribution of Srila Prabhupada as it completely refutes the Mayavada arguments of Sankaracarya. This book is a treasure to be possessed by every Western scholar.
"Words fail me to describe the height of scholarship and devotion manifested in the volumes mentioned above. Our future generations and the posterity will definitely find a better world to live in through the efforts of Srila Prabhupada as he stands for the feelings of International Brotherhood and spiritual integration of all mankind which is the back-bone of the Vedic sanatana-dharma of India. The literary world outside India, particularly the Westerners, should be highly indebted to him, who has so scientifically acquainted them with what is best in Krsna conscious India.
"I may be permitted to recommend to all scholars, professors and other Dharmacaryas the great importance and contribution of the books of Sri Swami Prabhupada."
Sri Viswanath Sukla, Ph.D.
Reader, Dept. Of Hindi. M.U.
"The Srimad-Bhagavatam is widely acclaimed as the Bible of Devotion par excellence. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who has been the messenger of the Gospel of God-devotion abroad, has brought out an exquisite edition of the Bhagavatam with an English translation and explanation. The translator brings the spirit of the text, and the explanation is lucid. Going through the Third Canto, part four, which the Publishers have sent me, I find that the reader can get the utmost benefit from this publication. The perfume of divine love exudes from every page. The format, the get-up, the illustrations, are all pleasing to the eye as well as to the mind."
Dr. T.M.P. Mahadevan
Centre of Advanced Study of Philosophy
University of Madras
Madras
"The Bhagavad-gita is no doubt the most important and the best known work in the whole of the Indian literature. The magnificence of its spiritual concepts and the sublimity of its thinking has secured it a great popularity everywhere, as an easily intelligible presentation of the Divine. The Gita has been edited, translated and commented countless times. The meaning of the text is, at least in its main lines, obvious and clear. The justification of a new interpretation is therefore, in my opinion, dependent on the message conveyed by the commentary.
"The translator and commentator Swami Bhaktivedanta represents the Gauḍiya Vaisnava School and thus interprets the message of the Gita 'from the inside.' While Sahkara in Canto 5.12 interprets the plurality of the beings enumerated to be only conventional, and according to the Mayavadis the individuals after liberation merge into the impersonal Brahman, Swami Bhaktivedanta states that Krsna here authoritatively emphasizes the eternity of the individuality. The transcendental form of God can be immediately experienced by a person who is duly prepared, as it is told in Canto 11. Just these two points are, I think, the reason for the interest in the Gita among persons with a searching spirit. Swami Bhaktivedanta's translation and commentary do deliver this message very convincingly indeed."
Pentti Aalto
Dept. of Asian and African Studies
University of Helsinki
Helsinki, Finland
REVIEWING the multitude of gifts that Srila Prabhupada has given to us-his disciples-and to the world, we must conclude that no one has done more to glorify India, no one has done more to glorify Vedic culture, and no one has done more to glorify Lord Sri Krsna in the modern age than our divine master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
We offer our respectful obeisances millions of times at his lotus feet.
 

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